Cold Cover
by DeavaStar
Summary: Starla Knight works for a secret organization. She's new to the Japan branch, and the boss has too much faith in her. Partnerless, she is sent to Hanging Neck Island, where she decides to employ the aid of a demon. But when you make a deal with a demon, there's always Hell to pay.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Case file: DHD7-U903  
Agent: SA Starla Knight  
Age: 18  
Gender: Female  
Date of birth: 09/23/19xx  
Country of origin: America  
Ethnicity: Caucasian  
Transfer status: Complete  
Assignment: Japan

Target Name: Tetsuhiro Huang  
Race: Obake  
Victims accounted: 83  
Victims unconfirmed: 65  
Allotted: 60/month  
Marital status: Single  
Children: 0  
Profile: Targets individuals who have taken significant risk without success. Enjoys casinos. Becomes violent after losing large amounts of money.  
Weakness: Ice, liquor, women.  
Mission objective: N/E  
Notes: Previous agent MIA. Advised not to play his games.  
Last known destination: Hanging Neck Island, Dark Tournament

Welcome, and good luck!

That was it. Nothing more. No partner assignment, no leads.

Starla groaned and hung her head, raking her fingers through her long brunette hair. She'd been in Japan three weeks, and her young age and higher rank resulted in sidelong glares and dissociation. Only the chief, having carefully read the file, had a little too much trust in her analytical skill and negotiation tactics. Now she had to go solo, on a boat overflowing with yokai tournament goers and participants, to an island packed with demons, with only sabotage and a gun. No resources were granted. In her opinion, this was a murder/suicide mission. She'd been in tighter situations and- after the death of her previous partner- maybe it was best for her to go alone, even if she was small and not exactly the strongest. It wouldn't be the first time the deck was stacked against her. This time, literally.

She completed her final checks, ensuring her weapon was locked and loaded, extra ammo, a few amulets and tags, and her travel case. This tournament was being held by the one percent, and to attract her target, she'd have to be one of them.

Once assured of her belongings, she slipped through the trees to the harbor, praying the anti-demon wards and scent nullifying tags worked as planned. Otherwise, she wouldn't make it to the island.


	2. Report 1

**Report 1**

Starla resisted the urge to slam the door, and closed it calmly before walking to the couch and pummeling the cushions, silently fuming.

The stolen money she'd bet on those losers hadn't forced that bastard out of hiding. She flicked on the TV, tuning it to the closed circuit channel showing the live feed of the current match. Maybe a little violence would be cathartic. Team Urameshi vs Team Masho.

"Shinobi...? Huh!" Opening her business owned laptop, she did a quick search of a few names. Scanning through the known aliases, she wondered if the right price would buy her a ninja's hand to aid in the mission. She leaned forward, analyzing her possibilities. By the end of the match, she had made her decision, all she had to do was lure an infamous killer with a tendency to disappear into the smallest shadow. Hopefully, he wouldn't hear her approach from two kilometers and ice her on sight. Again, literally. God help her!

* * *

Touya sat cross legged, balanced perfectly on his rock. He'd chosen this place for its distance from the both the hotel and the arena. The serene view was an added bonus. He couldn't help the feeling of failure.

He. Did. Not. Lose! Unacceptable! He took a deep breath, and silenced his mind.

It was quiet, too quiet. So quiet Touya could easily make out the crunch of shoes on the dirt path in the forest behind him. He remained calm, ignoring it even as it disturbed his meditation. Or at least he tried, his senses were kicking in, telling him the person was actively looking for him.

Finally, he focused his attention, determining his stalker. The steps were still distant but careful, approaching with caution. Light, female, human. Why was a human female alone in this forest, this close to Omagatoki — no matter that it was still somewhat daylight — and stalking him?

Was it a ploy? Was she an enemy? He stood and slipped to the trees, gathering energy into his palm, and waited.

* * *

Starla carefully made her way along the path, following the one lead she got from some ogre saying they'd seen the Hexed Ice Master going in this direction. She searched carefully, seeking signs of his presence. She pushed aside a low hanging branch and was met with the sight of twilight overlooking the bay from atop a cliff. So stricken by the natural beauty before her that she gasped, forgetting her goal momentarily.

The chill of a thin ice blade at her neck was an excellent reminder.

"Why are you here?" His voice was low, emotionless. It sent a shiver down her spine that had nothing to do with cold. She swallowed nervously, wary of the blade, and held her hands up innocently. "I just wanted to talk. A simple proposition that, I assure you, does not require weapons." She watched in peripheral as he cocked a brow. "Then why did you bring a gun?"

_He is sharp!_ She turned her head to look him in the eyes. "Lone girl, on an island crawling with demons, walking through a forest as sunset approaches...I'd be a fool not to bring it."

Touya let the blade dissipate, circling in front of her, watching her sigh of relief, in the fading sunlight. She was actually pretty. "What was your proposal?"

Business negotiations, her favorite. "I'm with an organization that monitors and polices demon activity in the human realm. I was transferred three weeks ago, and asked to deal with a demon that's gone overboard. I need help."

His arms crossed over his chest and gave a mocking smile. "So, you think a shinobi wouldn't mind dropping another body? Is that it? Sorry, not interested." He made to move past her and she placed a hand on his bicep.

"That's not what I was asking." She took in a breath, she wasn't dead yet, that had to be good. "It could also be advantageous to you. Both your reputation and the security of your clan." He turned, glaring, gripping her arm to make her face him. She smiled, "You lost your match. Your team is out. No prize. Help me and you could get a worthwhile consolation. They might even think of you as a hero. You might not even have to do much."

Touya thought it over. Heroes. Champions of the Light. What that would do for the clan! He released her arm. "I'll give it some thought." He leapt to the trees, vanishing into their darkness, just as the sun gave its last gleam.


	3. Report 2

**Report 2**

Starla made her way carefully back the way she came, casting her flashlight this way and that. Why had she not waited until sunrise? Her heart was jackhammering at her ribcage. She could swear she heard a twig snap. She adjusted the grip on her light, if anything popped out at her, well…

The casing of this light had been dipped in iron cured in holy water and rubbed with a fresh coat of salt. It wasn't light either. If it didn't kill, it sure as hell would hurt. She pulled her gun, sixth sense kicking in. She was being watched, possibly followed. Some poor demon bastard probably thought she looked like a decent snack.

Her eyes scanned the area as she entered the small clearing along the trail. She stopped. Were those footsteps? Was that just the wind whistling by? Or was it something hoping to lure her off the trail? _That branch moved. No wings, no wind, and no rodent would be that heavy._ She fired a shot, satisfied to hear the rustling of branches fading as whatever it was decided to find something else to chase.

She continued on until she finally spotted the hotel's lights. The bright lobby would be a welcome sight, after about a hundred and fifty foot walk without cover. Once inside without incident, she made her way to the elevator and pressed the button to her floor, sighing with relief as the doors closed. At her door, she paused, key in hand. Her gut told something was wrong. _Of course something's wrong! How many demons have rooms on this floor alone?_ Just to be safe, she entered gun first. She scanned the room, stalking quietly, listening for any noise as she moved to the table side lamp, clicking it on.

"You're certainly cautious, and a nice shot. Even in the dark."

She whipped around, leveling her gun at the voice. Touya was crouched low in the corner by the window, his finger ghosting over a small red mark on his cheek. He stood and walked toward her, gently pushing the gun aside, a smile gracing his lips.

Her brow wrinkled, "it was you following me? How did you get into my room?" Her eyes flitted from his face to the corner then the door.

He shrugged. "Scaled the wall." He nearly laughed at her stunned face. She was staring at him in disbelief. "B-but...this is the eighth floor!" He settled onto the couch as he answered, "Child's play." She fumbled for words. "Th-the window! I-it was locked! I secured the room before I left!"

At this, Touya did let out a short burst of delight. "Cute!"

Her face tinged red, embarrassment and rage. Her patience quickly thinned at his mocking tone. She looked to the window again. "Why were you following me?" Hadn't he left before her?

The Ice Master held his hands up defensively. "Simply investigating. I never accept a contract without knowledge of the client. I presume you did something similar before selecting me." She wanted to be angry, but he was right, so instead she walked over to the in-room brewer and filled it with water to boil.

"Have you reached a decision?" Her tone was professional.

"First, tell me what you do, again? Details please, because what I heard sounds like you work for 'Winchester's Inc.'; is that close?"

She pulled two cups. Was that a _Supernatural _reference? How best to explain it to him? She breathed deep, hoping she wouldn't get herself killed. Negotiations were easy, explanations could be difficult.

"Not quite. Though exorcisms and other such situations are too often necessary, we're more like...MIB demon division. We understand that humans are a food source, but we also believe with the right procedures, demons and humans could coexist. We help to prevent humans from being eradicated by over eager demons who would consume us without thought to the effect it would have on the rest of the world. We draw a line between demon and monster." She set the serving tray on the table and sat across from him.

He carefully lifted his cup, sniffing the air for traces of poisons before taking a small sip. "The difference being...?"

She smiled, he actually seemed interested. "The difference is the number of bodies dropped or disappearing. If we see that too many humans are dying in an area where demon activity is suspected, we send an agent to meet with them. We negotiate terms, even help less aggressive yokai to obtain nutrition. And for those that live within society, we even help to maintain human identities. We also provide health and child care."

"For all this, what is it you ask in return." _Skepticism, damn! _"That's circumstantial. Each demon is different. Usually we only ask that they not kill more than they need to survive. The occasional tip off is helpful, though."

Humans that care about the wellbeing of demons? That actually didn't sound too bad. "Alright. You work for an organization, but I see you're rooming alone. Shouldn't you at least have a partner? Especially considering the location."

Her face dropped, sadness washed over her features. "I used to, but now I prefer to work alone. Normally, it's not a problem, but I'm in over my head. That's why I came to you." Touya sat silently. Watching her face as she dealt with the recollection of trauma. He would ask about it later. There was business to deal with. "So, what would be expected of me?"

She refilled the empty cups, determining how much to say. "My target is a shapeshifter, likes to gamble, and his victims..." she pulled out the dossier, reading it again, "took high risk, without reward. His allotment was 60 victims per month. He's at 83, with an additional 65 unconfirmed matching his MO. The orders are nullify or exorcise." Touya whistled. "Sounds like a severe breach of contract. So you want me to do the dirty work?"

"No, I need a bodyguard", she replied. "Someone to watch my back to make sure I don't get overwhelmed or murdered before I can get to him. The presence of somebody with a level head should be able to help me focus."Touya narrowed his eyes cocking his head. "I am a well known ruthless killer, and you simply want a bodyguard. Tell me why I shouldn't kill you, instead."

She stopped breathing. The air had turned cold. "I promised to help you didn't I? You keep me alive, and the organization could lose some data on you, there may be a considerable amount of money involved. Maybe a way to bail some of your clanmates out of trouble. I mean, you do seem reasonable. And I'm certain most of your victims were "work related", correct. I heard you speak of the light. You're tired of being hired to live in shadow. We could help. Imagine, no more having to assassinate to survive. No more running and hiding. No more false names just to enter a tournament. You could be their messiah."

Touya met her eyes, peering into her soul, listening for a lie. She spoke like a crossroads demon; knew just what to say to keep the ear listening, but this one was human. He thought about it. If the deal went south, he could kill her and he was used to disappearing. Saving his family did sound like a good bargain for a little bodyguard job. "I'll need to gather some more information…."

She smiled as he left.


	4. Report 3

**Report 3**

It was over. They had lost to Urameshi's team.

Touya was furious with himself. "_Unacceptable! I. Do. Not. Lose!"_ His thoughts were punctuated by sharp strikes at the air. The fight played over in his mind. He should have rushed in right away, and slashed Kurama down the moment the fight started. If he had, he wouldn't have had to listen to Bakken beating the unconscious boy half to death. The sickening thuds against the unresponsive vessel echoed in his mind.

Shinobi were better than that! That was the kind of behaviour that ruined the honour of the once respected shinobi! And Risho! He wanted to pulverize him. Such blatant disrespect for their opponents. Team Urameshi already had the deck stacked against them. Touya wanted the victory, too. "_Not like that!"_

He stilled at last and sat down on the rock, staring at the sky, unfocused eyes wandering over the clouds. His body was aching and his open wound pained between twitching muscles, reminding him that he should change the bandaging. What now? He wasn't sure if he trusted Risho, anymore. Touya knew he wasn't "leader material", and Jin - No! Their people would need guidance.

"_If you lose your match …"_ Touya sighed and stood, deciding it was worth a shot.

* * *

Starla stood clutching the vase tightly, arm held back. It was probably expensive and the boss would not like to see the price on the expense report. Stiffly, she set the pretty vase back on the table and calmly rearranged the flowers to an optimal position before resuming pacing the floor.

Today she had spent triple her usual amount betting against Team Urameshi. The bastards had won, twice in a row! She snarled and snatched the vase up, hurling it across the room. It shattered, like the fine china it was, glass, water and petals decorating the wall.

Worth. Every. Yen!

The second victory of the day was against Team Masho, after being worn down. How could they be so strong?! How could shinobi lose?!

She should be in the red, and suffering at the hands of her target. She wasn't having any luck flushing him out by gambling. No, it seemed that the angel sent by Raziel misunderstood her intentions; she had made an additional twenty-five million!

Touya! What if he died from that injury? She hadn't thought of any other back-up plans. She put her shoes back on, she needed to check on the ice shinobi.

Starla checked in with the front desk, then attempted to call the room. After receiving no answer, she knocked on their door, and when that failed, she headed to the arena to seek information. Finally, when all else had failed, she sought out the hidden path leading up into the mountain.

* * *

More failure awaited her when she reached the top, the cliff where whence she had met Touya before was void of any trace of him. It was growing dark by the time she returned to the hotel, exhausted and concerned. She climbed into an empty elevator, leaning against the wall, feeling her defeat.

Slowly, she made her way down the hall, reaching for her room key. The moment she had the key in the lock, she was hit by a feeling of deja vu. Something wasn't right. Without turning the key she removed it and twisted the knob with caution. It moved easily in her hand and she felt the cylinder rotate, heard the bolt slide open. To be safe, she checked the number on the door, making sure it matched.

She let door creak open as she reached for her gun. The light was on. "May God have mercy on any who are within. Because I sure as hell won't." She entered silently in hunter mode, senses alert and nearly choking when she caught the scent of fresh tea permeating the air. There was a service cart sitting in the living room.


	5. Report 4

**Report 4**

Touya set the teacup in his hand down silently. The woman seemed...tense, and he'd rather not get shot at again. He waited, watching carefully as she lowered her gun, kicking gently at the wheel of the service cart, satisfied that it did not retaliate. Once she laid her weapon down and stepped back, he decided it would be safe to speak.

"I heard you've spent the evening looking for me." She jumped and grabbed for her weapon, leveling it on the intruder. Touya simply flicked his wrist, casting ice at the barrel, freezing the opening. "Let's not do that again, it wasn't much fun the first time." He finished collecting his items from the small in-room kitchen, and carried them over to the table, setting the dishes neatly upon it.

"Please forgive the intrusion. I thought, with all the running around, and the rather late hour, you might be hungry." He held her chair, and gestured, waiting patiently as she washed her hands and approached. Her eyes held within them the question of safety to dine with a shinobi. He laughed softly as she sat, resting a hand on her shoulder. "My dear, this is far too much effort to kill you. Why would I have aimed for your gun, when I could simply have cut your throat before you noticed me? After all, there is no one here with you and the hotel will not collect your fees until the end of the tournament. It would be days before anyone knew you were dead."

She nodded. It would be pointless to waste good food with poison, he could have already murdered her and even cleaned the mess by this point.

They ate with polite conversation, before moving on to business over desert, negotiating terms. They agreed on a large sum of cash as payment for aid in the mission, and should all go well, she would put in a good word with the chief to perhaps get a few of his allies a position with the organization. Frequent jobs would mean more money, more money would mean no more need to stoop to the low levels of rich scum.

Finally, when the tea was gone, and Touya had signed a simple contract, they began discussing the details of her assignment until she began yawning. Minutes later, he looked up from the documents in his hand to ask a question only to find her slouched across the arm of the sofa, snoring softly. Chuckling quietly, he laid the papers down and stepped closer, wavering for a few seconds, considering his options.

'_She would be such an easy target. So trusting. Any demon would be able to take advantage of this. How have you managed to live this long?'_ He smiled softly, before scooping her carefully into his arms and making his way to the bedroom. Laying her down, he began tucking her neatly into the single bed. As he pulled the blanket up to cover her, he was surprised to find her arms entwining around his forearm and she nuzzled her cheek against his palm, murmuring, "but, Mommy, the kitty likes the lavender soap." Resisting the urge to laugh he removed his arm from her grasp and pulled a small bear from the corner of the bed into his place.

He checked her windows and made certain to lock both doors before he left.


	6. Report 5

**Report 5**

Touya leaned against his bedroom door, thinking, feeling his fingers twitch. That file had said the target was weak to ice. He smirked, plans forming in seconds. He pulled the cowl over his head and slipped back out into the hall.

It was easy. The receptionist was just stepping away when he arrived. A quick check on the computer found him the room and he was gone, he search wiped from the screen, no evidence of his presence remained except for a slight chill in the air.

He entered the stairwell, climbing quickly and silently before emerging on the floor. He checked the security camera (facing away) and strode smoothly along the hall, letting himself in.

The fool! Two barely clothed women were curled together on the couch, neither smelled human. One stirred in her sleep, kicking over an empty liquor bottle. the bedroom door was ajar and he could make out the sound of three individuals within. All demons. He could slay them all, no one would care. Touya's eyes scanned the room. There were so many options available. How to proceed? He chilled one hand, picking up a wet towel with the other, wrapping it around the nearby corkscrew. He took note of the women in the bed, moving cautiously, only one target, there should only be one death. He placed the corkscrew in Tetsuhiro's hand, and slashed the bastard's throat.

He then moved on to the women, pulling powder from his pocket, lacing it into a needle of ice. No marks, no blood, and they wouldn't remember a thing.

If anyone bothered to investigate, the lady changed her mind. Tetsuhiro became violent, she defended herself. They were all reeking of so much alcohol, he doubted the girls would even question what happened.

He was done in minutes and returned to his bed, falling into a sound sleep.


End file.
